Today, we're all answering get-to-know-you questions and adding bios.
Where do you write?
I write at the computer in our tiny living room. The couch is at my right elbow and the TV is over my right shoulder, so my neck kinks to the right whenever my kids are watching Phineas and Ferb.
Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
The kitchen table is close enough to hold my snacks. When it's dinner time, a quick push of my legs and a 45 degree rotation puts me in front of my food. (Hubby cooks.) :)
Favorite time to write?
Not sure if it's my "favorite" time, but I usually write at night. (Day job.) On weekends, I write in spurts through the day, between occasional chores.
Drink of choice while writing?
Water. Tastes great, less filling, zero calories. Sometimes I'll add lemon.
When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
All noise is background, so silence is my choice when I can get it. If the family is watching a show I'm inclined to enjoy, I'll put on Pandora and headphones. I like Film Scores Radio most of the time. :)
What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
My WIP (not the book I'm pitching in the blogfest) was inspired by this (which you'll have to watch on YouTube):
Plus this: Writing Excuses 7.25: Writing Capers
What's your most valuable writing tip?
You can't fix a blank page.
Below is the bio in my query, but since it's going to be in the query for the blogfest, I'm blanking it out so you have to select it to read it. If you're a judge, there's nothing else to see, here.
I’m a host of David Farland’s Authors’ Advisory, where I grill bestselling authors for free writing advice. By day, I’m a criminal defense lawyer, where I learn about the drug trade directly from traffickers and addicts. I’ve published a paper on the juvenile death penalty, but I have not yet published a work of fiction. The death penalty paper was easier.
Anyway, enough about me. Go sign up and tell me about you! Then find out about the rest of the GUTGAA bloghoppers:
Bio is great ;)
ReplyDeleteInteresting post!
Thanks, Vik!
DeleteHi Robin! I love Pandora film scores too. Listen to it all the time. Really like the Gladiator theme song but they do overplay it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're on the gutgaan journey! :)
Pk, I suspect they overplay it because you once told them you liked it and then didn't pay enough attention to the other songs you didn't hate. That's why I get too much Pirates, Harry Potter, and Sherlock. :)
DeleteI rotate between the same few stations on Pandora so I haven't seen the film scores. I bet that is inspirational -- some are so epic! I need to queue up Han & Leia's theme from the Star Wars movies!
DeleteLove your writing tip, and I'll have to try film scores--that's a great idea!
ReplyDeletehttp://thinkingtoinking.blogspot.com
Best part is that scores are usually wordless. :)
DeleteI love your writing tip, Robin, and agree 100%!
ReplyDeleteNow, that video really makes me wonder what genre you're writing right now, girl. That was one sick relationship in that video and looks like it was based all on the physical. Hmmm... =D
Yeah... I knew someone would comment on that. Good thing "inspired by" doesn't equate "based on." ;)
DeleteAwesome that your husband cooks- win! I'm like you, water, especially if it has a lemon in it. And it disappears so quickly when I write, great way to stay hydrated.
ReplyDeleteWhat I really need is a cool water goblet like I have at work. I drink so much more water from my goblet than I do from a regular cup! :D
DeleteYour writing space sounds great to me! I can't write and snack at the same time. Unless I grab a handful of something, I'll finish the whole back of whatever is in front of me without noticing until it's gone. Bad habit, I know.
ReplyDeleteYeah, snacks do tend to disappear faster when I'm writing.... :D
DeleteHi, Robin!
ReplyDeleteThat's another writing tip I have to remind myself of periodically, especially during a first draft--like now.
Hmm, having a convenient snack table so close to my writing space would be dangerous. I have to actually get up and go into the other room--and I still eat too many snacks. :)
Sadly, the table does not magically replenish itself with healthy, calorie-free snacks. Where's a house elf when you need one?
DeleteGood luck on the GUTGA -- I'm looking forward to it. Now I get that your job has probably influenced your writing quite a bit. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteHere's my GUTGAA Meet & Greet: A Girl and Her Diary
LOL--yeah, probably. :D
DeleteHello Robin!!! *waving*
ReplyDeleteHi, Beth! *waves back*
DeleteWhoa, another Beth. I thought, "How can she wave at me when I haven't even commented yet?"
ReplyDeleteWater & silence - two answers we have in common. :)
LOL--Hi Beth!! *waves at the new Beth*
DeleteI'm impressed with your willpower to put on headphones during favorite TV shows. I need to try that trick. I write at night too, but mostly because my best ideas come at that time.
ReplyDeleteGood luck this month!
-Jenna
Well, Jenna, it's either the headphones or never get any writing done. :)
DeleteHi Robin! Great to meet you. Nice little blog you've got here. :-) Excited to learn more about your story in the weeks to come!
ReplyDeleteNice. I’m glad so many people drink water when writing. Makes me feel like I fit in. =)
ReplyDeleteI love that song! I can't wait to hear more about your new story :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE Jake Owen. Just bought his album. Great song.
ReplyDelete*waves* so nice to meet you!
Loved your advice. So true.
ReplyDeleteI get sucked into Phineus & Ferb every time! What I love the best about the Jake Owen song is it's a reversal -- it always seems in real life the girl is waiting for the phone call, but in the song she's the player. I just love it. And am totally intrigued with what you're doing with it.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I loved it, too! Not that I approve of player girls, but it was nice to have a guy who was affected like that. :)
DeleteI love Phineas and Ferb! Aren't their writers fabulous? :-)
ReplyDeleteDear Robin,
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you. I enjoyed your answers to the GUTGAA questions. I expect you've got lots of inspiration from those you work with and for. Likewise. Happy Writing!
Warm regards,
Don #138
Hi Robin,
ReplyDeleteI recognized your name from the #PitchMadness and thought I'd stop by to comment. I love your blog, and excellent writing tip, by the way.
I love your writing tip. It may just go on a post-it. See you around GUTGAA!
ReplyDeleteActually, that's not a half bad idea (since I need that advice more than anyone...).
DeleteHi. I am making the meet and greet rounds. I love your writing tip and I fell in love with the song that inspired your manuscript. Finally, I come across another late night writer. The last fifteen + blogs I have visited are written by writers who manage to rise between 4 and 5:30 a.m. to write. I wish I could,b but my brain would never cooperate.
ReplyDeleteSeriously! What is WITH those crazies? :D
DeleteIt's great to see a familiar face in this bloghop! Oh and Phineas and Ferb is the best show to write too. :)
ReplyDeletephineas & ferb! yay!
ReplyDeletehubby cooks? lucky!
great writing tip!
Great blog! You're so lucky to have a hubby who cooks! :) Good luck with GUTGAA!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish my hubby cooked...you lucky duck :)
ReplyDeleteHa! Love the fact that you can just spin around for food! Maybe I cuold train my hubs and kids to place things on the table near my when I'm writing. Great to meet you!
ReplyDeleteHey Robin!!! Checking in for GUTGAA ~ :) I'm with Angela - I wish my hubby cooked, too!!
ReplyDeleteI'm also a night-writer. The day job has also turned me into a lunch-time writer. Happy writing!!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was already following your blog - that's corrected now! :)
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you Robin! I'm looking forward to following your blog. Is your writing advice from Nora Roberts? "I can fix a bad page. I can't fix a blank page."
ReplyDeleteHi Robin,
ReplyDeleteSorry for stopping by so late. I signed up for GUTGAA late, so here I am. My husband does most of the cooking too. Isn't it awesome? And he makes me the best frappe's ever since, even though I love water too, I need my caffeine fix. :)
Anyway, I'm just hopping around to the GUTGAA blogs to say hi to everyone.I got so inspired by all the great blogs on here that I finally decided to start one. i'd love it if you'd stop by!! It's brand spanking new and in desperate need of follwers. haha.
Anyway, good luck with GUTGAA!